Mother's Love
by Deena70
Summary: To the mothers of the world. Just how strong is the love of a mother for her child? Anzu finds out… (Anzu-centered)


_Disclaimer:_ _La-la-la, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, la-la-la…_

_Author's note:_ My mother's birthday is next week! Omigod! @_@  I can't think of what to give her. Believe me, she has enough roses and chocolates to last a lifetime. He-he. Ahem. Anyway, I was inspired after listening to a rerun of the song "_Goodbye_ (the saddest word)" by **Celine Dion**. It was a really touching song. Maybe it's because Celine has this way of singing her songs with passion – as if she really means it. And **Mariah Carey**'s "_Through The Rain_" was also a very sweet song (especially the mother/daughter fight scene). So I dedicate this two-part one-shot fic to my mother… Anzu's mother (if only Kazuki Takahashi would just give her a small scene -__-), and all the other mothers of the world!

**Title:** _Mother's Love_

**Author:** Deena

**Rated: **PG13

**Genre:** Drama/Angst

**Summary: **[Semi-AU]  Just how strong is the love of a mother for her child? Anzu finds out… (Anzu-centered)

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"IF I KNEW AS A CHILD"

If I knew as a child what I know now, Mom,  
I probably wouldn't have made things  
so hard for you.  
I would have understood  
that you were looking out for my best interest  
even though it may not have seemed so at the time. 

I would have known how difficult it is to let go,  
to stand back and let someone you love  
learn from their mistakes. 

I would have realized  
how fortunate I was to have a mother  
who was always there for me,  
even after an argument,  
even after I'd said things  
I shouldn't have. 

While it's too late for a lot of things  
it's not too late for me to tell you  
that I appreciate how loving you are,  
how giving you've always been  
and that even though  
I may not always be good at showing it,  
I love you very much.  

  
--** Renee Duvall**

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~ Mother's Love ~ 

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" Anzu Mazaki, I forbid you from going!" 

The eighteen-year-old brunette refused to back down. Her chin jutting out in determination, she replied, " I'm going and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

They were quarreling again. Lately that was all they could do. Anzu was sick of it. Sick of her mother manipulating her life. Sick of listening to her to "don't do this" and "don't do that". She was perfectly capable of being independent and choosing the right decision. Can't her mother see that? 

" But Anzu, think about it! Jyunni Dance Academy is such a hard place to enter. Why not become a teacher? A doctor? Anything but a dancer!" Mrs. Mazaki yelled. 

Anzu glowered. " Who are you to dictate my life!? I've always wanted to become a dancer! This is my chance! Mr. Keith said that he would sponsor me for free!"

" But – "

" You're the one who's always telling me to follow my heart! Can't you see this is important to me?"

" You're too young to know what's good for yourself!"

" I don't want to hear it!" Anzu snapped. " I'm not a little girl any more! I'm old enough to take care of myself! Goodbye." She grabbed her suitcase and marched out of the door.

" Don't you dare talk back to me, young lady!" Mrs. Mazaki pulled Anzu's arm back, and her favorite friendship bracelet fell to the ground, the beads scattering all over the floor. " My bracelet!" she whispered. Then with fury in her eyes, she hissed spitefully, " I hate you."

The hand gripping her arms loosen as Mrs. Mazaki watched her in shock. She could only stare as her only daughter walked out of the house…probably for good. " Anzu…"

Really, her mother was such a hag! This was her dream come true. And she was going to make it. She believed it in her heart. _Can't my mother have any faith in my decision?_ Anzu fumed as she climbed down the stairs.

Mrs. Mazaki snapped out of her shock and ran after Anzu. " Come back here, Anzu! Please!"  
  


_Yeah, probably to give me more lectures. Fat chance._ Anzu crossed the road, too deep in her anger to notice her surroundings. Her taxi would come in a minute, but she couldn't stay one more second with her mother.

" Anzu!"

_Don't listen, Anzu. _

" Anzu, stop!!!"

" Shut up, you stupid woman," Anzu muttered darkly.

" Anzu, watch out!!!!!" 

Anzu whirled around, startled like a deer in headlights as a taxi skidded across the streets and was sent spiraling out of control. 

" Run, Anzu, run!"

Too late…

**CRASH!!!!!**

" Quick! Call 911!"

" Omigod! She's bleeding a lot!"

A siren alarm broke the silence of the evening. 

But Anzu couldn't hear the voices or the noises. She had fallen into a state of limbo. Darkness had penetrated her world and cocooned her in its' comforting covers. She curled into a ball in her endless space and wondered, _is this how death feels like?_

***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

Her head hurt like hell. 

She groaned as she sat up, her eyes blinded by the morning's rays. She blinked and rubbed her eyes tiredly; feeling as if she had just woke up from a deep sleep. She looked around, and gasped in surprise as she realized the unfamiliarity of the room. The walls were all white, with little furniture except a steel chair, a cupboard and the bed she was lying on. And her clothes…she was wearing a white tunic. She touched her forehead and felt bandages. Actually, her arms and legs also had a few bruises on them. What had happened?

And then it clicked.

_The screams._

_The cries._

_The sirens._

_And that taxi skidding straight toward her…_

**_CRASH!!!!!_**

" I had an accident," she whispered as she recollected everything. She tried to move her legs and flinched when she felt a jolt of pain.

" I wouldn't do that if were you."

Anzu looked up and saw a doctor smiling kindly at her. " Hello, Doctor Takahashi at your service," he said. " You must be Anzu Mazaki."

The brunette nodded. " Yes, I am."

" You're in the hospital, as you must know. You've been in a coma for a week and – "

" A whole week!?" Anzu exclaimed in surprise. " Gosh. My mother must be worried! I have to call her and tell her I'm okay."

Doctor Takahashi looked a bit nervous now. " Of course. But…your mother isn't in a condition to speak to you right now."

Anzu stiffened, her eyes slowly met the doctor's. " What do you mean?" 

The doctor sighed. " Well…how do I say this…"

" Tell me honestly, doctor. Is my mother okay?" Anzu felt a sense of a dread. She had a feeling that he was going to deliver bad news.

He took a deep breath and faced Anzu. " Ms. Mazaki, she's dying."

Anzu looked at him dumbfounded. " What?"  
  


" Your mother is dying."

Anzu stared at him in stunned silence. What kind of cruel joke was this? " You're kidding. Ha-ha. But it isn't funny, doctor," she said coldly.

The doctor sighed. " Ms. Mazaki, remember the accident?"

She nodded slowly.

" Your mother saved your life. She pushed you from the car and you fell to the side. That's why you had only minor injuries. She sacrificed her life for yours."

Anzu's eyes widened. _Mom had saved me? _She gripped the blanket and twisted it, the dread growing stronger each second. " That still doesn't answer my question."

" Unfortunately, she hadn't had time left to escape and she was smashed by the taxi. She's in a coma right now. A very deep coma. She's still breathing, but I don't think she has much time left." 

" I have to see her." Anzu climbed down the bed, winced, then fell down. 

He quickly picked her up and seated her on the bed. " Now, Ms. Mazaki, you're still not strong enough to stand on your legs. You need more time to recover – "

" I have to see her. Please!" Anzu begged. 

" Ms. Mazaki, I don't think – "

" No! You're lying! She's fine. She has to be!" Anzu sobbed, tears blurring her vision. " You have to let me see her! Please!"

Doctor Takahashi hesitated. Then he finally nodded. " Come with me." 

He led her down a long corridor, with Anzu struggling to keep up with him. She had to see her mother. She had to. She had to see for herself. 

And she almost regretted that decision.

It was the most painful sight that she had ever seen. She almost couldn't recognize the battered body lying on the bed, the machines surrounding her supported her frail breathing. Anzu suddenly felt no pain in her legs. It paled in comparison to what her mother must be suffering. " Mom…" she whispered.

" She's in a coma," the doctor reminded her, " so she's not lucid. But you can see her if you want to."

" Thank you," she said and approached the bedside. Doctor Takahashi smiled sadly and shut the door behind him. Anzu was thankful for that. She wanted to be alone.

" Mom, it's me, Anzu," she whispered, forcing a smile.

There was no reply, but Anzu sat on the chair beside her mother's bed, holding her hands. The tears she had kept at bay were now threatening to burst. " I'm sorry, mom. It's all my fault. It's all my fault…" she choked. " I'm so stubborn. And I lost you because of that. I'm so sorry…" 

" Why did you have to go and save me anyway?" she cried. " You shouldn't have! It was stupid! Why should you save me? I'm not worth it! I never was…"

_With fury in her eyes, she hissed spitefully, " I hate you."_

_" I hate you…"_

" I said nasty, mean words to you. And you still stupidly saved me. You shouldn't have! I'd rather you have lived!" 

_" Shut up, you stupid woman…"_

Anzu's eyes widened as she remembered the cruel words. She smiled sadly and tightened her grip on her mother's pale hands. " I'm sorry. You're not stupid. You only had my best interest at heart. _I_ was stupid. I did a lot of stupid things. Very stupid things. I thought I was strong enough to do anything. And now…now I'm sitting here doing nothing to save you! I'm so helpless!" Now the tears fell, she could no longer hide it. She could never be as strong as her mother. 

She lowered her head, ashamed. " Well, it's too late for a lot of things. But I just wanted to tell you, how much I appreciate you. And although I'm not good at showing it…I love you very much… Can you ever forgive me?"

The hands she held tightened around hers. Anzu looked up, shocked. Then she tilted her head and gazed at the suddenly peaceful expression on her mother's face. And in Anzu's eyes, that battered and bruised face was beautiful. Because it was her beautiful mother…

" Thank you, Mom. Thank you for everything…"

In a few seconds Mrs. Mazaki's breathing quieted…and then it stopped altogether. The monitor slowly dropped.

_Beep…_

" MOM!!!!!!!"

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_If you're fighting with someone you love put an end to it, because you never know when they die and by then it will be too late. Life is such a precious thing…just as well as love…_

_I love you, Mom._

-- **Deena**

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**~ The End? ~**

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_Author's note:_ O_o  Err…umm…I'm going to update this fic again. It's a **two**-part one-shot, so there's still one more to go. But if you hated this fic, then I won't update and the second chapter can hang in limbo. ^_^  So…review everyone! T_T  I really need to stop writing angst fics. It makes me feel depressed sometimes. I think I need to go and see Mom for a while. Excuse me.


End file.
